The wedding in Guatemala, Part II

Antigua street
see all photos »

“!Ay, Papi!” This is what a carload of attractive Guatemalan mujeres jóvenes said to me one morning. They drove by, smiled, and said this to me as I stared at them in awe. Well, more like confusion, since I had no clue what they said. One of the Guatemalan guys with us came back to me and told me it meant something along the lines of “Hey, baby!” or “Hey, Daddy!” Either way, I felt like a piece of meat. I loved it.

The entire trip everyone in our group kept saying to me: “!Ay, Papi!” to me. And, yes Chickybabe, if you are reading this, this was a BIG male ego boost.

Rooftop view from Meson Panza Verde
see all photos »

They also mentioned how "muy grande" I was, since I could use the typical Guatemalan as an armrest.

The weather was still warm yet a little overcast, and after breakfast (which consisted of fresh breads, fruit, yogurt, cereals, freshly squeezed orange juice, coffee, tea, and homemade marmalades) we trekked to the Parque Central. There are 4 main roads in Antigua, and as mentioned it is laid out in a grid pattern. The 4 mains form the outside edges of the Parque Central, and from there a multitude of packed side streets jut off from either side, all every block or so. The tough yet exciting thing about a town like Antigua is that is easy as hell to get lost in, because most every street looks the same, and they are not widely marked. The ones that are marked are all marked 1a, 2a, 3a, etc. Some of the ones that are marked at least have the dirección labeled: norte, sur, oriente, y poniente (north, south, east, and west).

View from the Sky Bar, Antigua
see all photos »

We shopped and haggled with the Mayans, tested out some local food, and that evening, we went to a Peruvian restaurant for the rehearsal dinner. Enough of me rambling, though, here are some pictures.

Overall, to sum up the trip to Guatemala, wedding included, it was fantastic. Although poverty is abound, armed guards fill every bank corner, and occasionally locals peddle their wares to the point of annoyance, there are some real treats in Antigua and surrounding areas. From talking to the locals, biking or hiking through the volcanic region, strolling through Antigua's ancient cobblestone streets, haggling for even better prices on handmade, original Mayan items, touring a coffee plantation or a macademia nut farm, stopping in a cafe for spiced hot chocolate and dessert, or simply visiting a quaint mountain village where soccer is played in concrete parking lots by smiling Mayan boys full of life, the wonders of Guatemala are all around you.